Grangur

Have you asked the lad what music he wants to play? Maybe you could also try out another teacher? That said, I've a step son who plays 6 string. He plays only the "main riff" from loads of songs. It seems that's what a lot of kids want. Maybe you could talk to the teacher and explain the problem. BTW, my Step son plays tabs and his guitar is strung in drop-C as he says that's how you need to string for most songs these days. He also doesn't have the slightest idea where any notes are on the FB. So there's a wide range of expectations out there amongst the players. The expectations of teachers will also vary too I guess.

Hi again all, I've been travelling about for work and not been able to be online much. Thanks for all the responses. It's interesting to read everyones' improvises and experiences. [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1396977902' post='2419408'] THese ...... [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171246003258?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1439.l2649[/url] work well for me, with a bit of care, and finishing off each slot with a roundwound string of the right size (which will finish off the slot to the perfect shape). The sets of these nozzle cleaners are variable though. I bought two (supposedly) identical ones. One set had good cutting edges, the other set were almost smooth (and pretty useless for nut cutting). But at £1.75 each it's not a huge investment. [/quote] I tried some of these and mine are useless. Maybe I'll try [s]getting another set[/s] buying another ticket in the raffle. So far I've been using a hacksaw blade, needle files, a Dremel, wet n dry paper, and set of rough round-wound strings. All have been effective to some degree. On the bass I've been working on recently I think I've just got there now with the needle files. The Stewmac files are good, for the fact you can buy the sizes you need. This could be good if you string something other than E-G. I think I may go for the Hosco ones though when I need some again - no import costs. Thanks again.

I took mine out. I wrote about it. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/232295-truss-rod-broken-on-70s-wheel-of-fortune-neck/ If you want to fix yours, yourself I'll be happy to help if I can. I'm sure SubsonicSimpleton will be along soon too. In any case, if I were you I would email John Shucker. At least he can tell you what's in the neck and how to get started. Mine was a cheep bass. Yours is probably in a different league. I look forward to hearing how it goes.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1396961832' post='2419121'] I don't know them by memory (except for the most obvious ones), but can work them out in non-real time. I tend to think of the root note of the scale, and then notes in terms of the scale degree. E.g. fourth, fifth, flat-sixth, etc. I'm open to being convinced that knowing the key signatures would significantly benefit me, and I should learn them sooner rather than later. [/quote] Doesn't all depend on if you read music or not? If you're simply looking to find the root note and play from the heart n' soul using "the box" for the major scale, then I guess you don't need the keys. What you would then need is the circle of 5ths to know where to go to when you want to go up/down a key.

Yes, the Affinity has it on the headstock. I had the good luck to pick up a Squier Silver Series Jazz bass for another BCer and ship it to him in the west-country. I tried it out. (as you do) WOW!! It had a really nice fast neck. It was a dream to play. Great tone... Was I envious or what? There are some great Squiers to be had.

[quote name='davehux' timestamp='1396957483' post='2419052'] Well worth the money. I've had a couple of Affinity P's, 2 VM jazzes and now a MIJ P - and all of them in bog standard condition are well made instruments Plus, they have a good reputation on here and you normally will have no problem selling it on if you want to change [/quote] They're good solid instruments and the weight is really good IMHO. All the rest is personal preference. I'm not knocking them. You can sometimes pick one up for <£100 right now, so you can't go wrong.

Following on from the other 2 discussions.... I find these hardest to remember I know: C Maj = no sharps G Maj = # D Maj = ## A Maj = ### E Maj = #### Note this is the order of the strings from high to low after that I get lost. Does anyone have any sneaky ways to remember the rest, or the Minor keys too, come to that?

The Bass Doc.... of this parish

I'm sure an expert will be along in a minute but fwiw I've got an Afinity p bass. The feel is good. It's got a nice neck. The body is ply/block board, but feels good and it sounds good after I fitted SD pups and replaced the electrics. That said, having bought the bass and the electrics and such to do it up... Bass - £100 Pups - £60 Pots - £10 Tuners - £15 (maybe you won't need these) Pickguard- £15 (ditto) .... you start to get in the area of "would I do better to buy a better bass?"

Hi there, I'm beginning to convince myself to bite the bullet and buy "the real thing" to cut the nut slots deeper. Which would you buy out of the 2? Or would you just take it to a luthier to get it done, after all how often do you have to do it? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AxeMasters-Guitar-NUT-SLOT-FILE-SET-KIT-for-BASS-Saw-Rods-Luthier-Tool-/350585724150?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item51a0899cf6 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOSCO-Nut-Slotting-Files-Bass-Guitar-/151271227451?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item233877c03b

Just to finish this thread off. Here's a pic or 2 of the finished neck after a re-sticking the first fret, re-fretting the whole neck and leveling. I veneered the headstock front and rear to cover over the mess where someone had moved the tuners about. Before... After... Other changes include a new pickguard from the Bass Doc, Badass III bridge, new pots and Kent Armstrong pups. Does this still count as a 70s vintage East German bass? I've still got some work to do on the nut, but it's getting there.

Really sorry to hear about this. I broke mine a month back and I got it all back together again for the first time only last night. It would bother me, like it bothers you; or you wouldn't ask. Why not ask John Shucker?

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1396684810' post='2416338'] Flyfisher, all I said is what works for me. How you read into that a downer on people who don't gig, I'm not sure. Rhys P, I have sympathy for some of what you say also. The point being that there's a good and bad side to gigging, no question. [/quote] Reading this thread I agree with Flyfisher. Most on this thread seem to be saying "if you don't gig, then why play bass at all?" At 54 I'm a gigging virgin. I've never done it. I've not been playing that long. I came to it late. My full-time job is too demanding to give me time to commit to being in a band, so for the foreseeable it's going to have to stay that way. I've got 5 basses. They all sound different and I enjoy playing, but sometimes I do get demoralised. I think if you CAN'T gig it takes more determination to keep going.

I just saw this and thought some of these are good and could give some inspiration to some and maybe we might have some interesting discussions about some of them. I really like [url="http://www.bestbassgear.com/ebass/bass-of-the-week/bass-of-the-week-lowell-long-bass-the-nouveau.html"]"The Nouveau"[/url] The shape and carving has good style. Not sure as it's totally how I would do it, but it's thought provoking. The headstock's good though. [url="http://www.bestbassgear.com/ebass/bass-of-the-week/bass-of-the-week-marino-north-star.html"]The Marino North Star[/url] is also interesting as a hollow body... or maybe you think different?

For the additional cost of a volume pot and a capacitor (about £5-7) I'd change the lot. If you're handy with a soldering iron then it's not a hard job.

[quote name='theyellowcar' timestamp='1396127341' post='2410295'] This. I had two guards off Howard recently, both excellent. [/quote] I've had one from him too. Really nice, neat job too.

My Ltd ESP E-205SMFL 5 string has a 15.5mm spacing. The nut is only 43mm too. The neck feels really great too, but it does take some getting used to.

Why not post a thread asking "Is anyone travelling from Brum to.....?" Then ask the BCer to take it.

How much is the bass worth? I've sent a good few basses using collectplus.co.uk. Ignore their size limits and just wrap it well, weigh it, buy a label and drop it off at the mailing point - see their site and they do a good job. The cost is about £15 including insurance for up to £300. Other threads here will tell you; getting a carrier to insure for more than £300 is hard/impossible.

You're right Gary, The guys need to bump the thread from time to time. Maybe they can get skype lessons?

I've been here and seen their necks. They're Japanese but look quite good, if a bit pricey, but could be worth considering http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/bass-necks-16-c.asp

.... and you don't need a book to tell you how. The pics you've seen tell you all you need to know, apart from: go easy on the heat or you'll char the wood. And... be prepared to find the body of your bass isn't wood, but block-board or plywood. The makers keep the ones with the sexy grain for the basses that show the grain. The boring ones get painted.